Four-time Grand Slam champion and top seed Naomi Osaka advanced to the second round of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open on Monday with a 6-0, 6-4 win over countrywoman Wakana Sonobe, who received a wildcard into the main draw.
Playing in the event for the first time since 2017, Osaka opened strongly, taking the first set 6-0. She broke Sonobe in the sixth game of the second set and held serve to close out the match in one hour and 16 minutes.
Next Up: Lamens or Arango
The 27-year-old Japanese player is seeking her first quarterfinal appearance in Osaka. She will face either defending champion Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands or Emiliana Arango of Colombia in the second round. Osaka leads Lamens 1-0 in their head-to-head and has never faced Arango.
Looking to Regain Momentum in Asia
After reaching the final in Montreal and the semifinals at the U.S. Open to climb back into the world’s top 20, Osaka has struggled to maintain her winning form in Asia. She managed just one victory across Beijing and Wuhan before arriving in Osaka this week.
In another first-round match on Monday, sixth seed Olga Danilovic defeated local wildcard Nao Hibino 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.